Writer’s Groups
April 17, 2008 at 4:03 pm 11 comments
Last night was the monthly meeting of my writing group. Of all the committees and groups I’ve ever belonged to, this is my favorite. There’s much debate in the writing world about the benefits of a writing group. By its very nature, writing is a solitary pursuit. But not all writers can continue to be productive without the stimulus of time spent with other writers. I’m one of those writers.
Our writing group was formed in 2004 with the following purpose: To provide a safe and inspirational place for local writers to assemble for motivation, inspiration, instruction, guidance and the resources needed to complete their work. We’ve stayed true to that purpose and while we have yet seen a member get something published traditionally, our group is as fresh and vibrant as it was the first day we met. To a member, everyone is writing. What started as a hand full of townies, has grown to a full page of names and e-mail addresses and includes members from towns as much as forty miles away. Our membership includes fiction writers, journalists, playwrites, poets and historians. We range in age from 17-73.
As I looked around the room last night I couldn’t help thinking we’re onto something. We’re doing something right. Some of our people have come from other groups that failed, but nobody has ever been able to clearly tell me what led to that failure. I’d like to know, so that those mistakes don’t creep into our program.
Do you belong to a writers group? Have you in the past? Tell me about it.
Entry filed under: writing. Tags: groups, inspiration, writing.
kat's random thoughts 
1.
rel | April 17, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Kat,
If there’s a writers group within 60 miles of me, I don’t know about it. If there was (well, I’d not drive sixty miles, maybe thirty) I’d join in a heart beat. So for now I’m satisfied with my online writer’s group. I’m a people person and face to face is my prefered manner of interaction but the blog has come in a close second.
Perhaps you could share a little more about your group, i.e. What activities you have , how organized are the activities, How many writers attend a giving session and so on. I’d be tempted to start one here if I was more knowledgabe of how they work and if a query showed interest from folks in the area.
rel
2.
katcampbell | April 17, 2008 at 8:38 pm
Sure Rel, I’ll get you some details on our group.
3.
Dr. John | April 18, 2008 at 2:05 am
I never belonged to a writer’s group but I have belonge4d to some groups that failed. Usually they failed because of personal conflicts inside the group and taking sides over the conflicts. One failed because somebody told the group something about his life and somebody in the group told a lot of other poeople. “What’s said in the group should stay in the group”.
Keep writing.
I am waiting for the book.
4.
anhinga | April 18, 2008 at 4:57 am
Our small writing group has been meeting for at least fifteen years. We lose track. It was started by a lady then in her 70’s who called people in our writers workshop at the college. I was one of the lucky ones. She is now in an assisted living complex in Mass. and I am in my 70’s, but still not the oldest. People come and go but our stalwarts are our youngest, in her 50’s, a writer/photographer (at whose home we meet), a retired biology professor, retired rocket scientist (for real), retired Stetson professor. We probably know more about each other’s deepest selves than any of our acquaintances. We feel free to be totally honest and discuss any subject. I don’t know what I would do without them. All have been published in some manner, though no book signings yet.
5.
katcampbell | April 18, 2008 at 6:42 am
Dr. John – An excellent point. We’ve had very little conflict over the last four years, but what we had we handled with grace and it caused not a ripple in the group. I’m writing – Julianne continues to spin out page by page.
Anhinga – Your’s is the group we aspire to!
6.
QuillDancer | April 18, 2008 at 11:06 pm
I know that ego/jealousy is what kills them. Out of a half dozen I’ve been in, that’s been the demise of them all, and shamefully, once I was a principle player. A rivalry built up between myself and another writer and things got ugly between us and too stressful and surly for the rest of the group.
I never fell into that pattern again, but I also lost my passion to be published (If this is who I turn into when I am admired and feted, I’d rather stay anonymous!)
7.
vaianp | April 21, 2008 at 8:54 pm
I wish their was. I was a writer form many years. Was almost published. When my mother died it seemed my ability to get the thoughts out went as well. I have often wanted to get back to it, but have a hard time with the wording. I would love it if there was a writers group to give me that boost to get back into it.
-Ian “Family Man”
http://www.anotherdayoflife.com
8.
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I will be a reader of your blog!
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